Director-General condemns killing of education aid workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has condemned the killing of five education aid workers and two civilians in Sud-Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 4 October. Irina Bokova also called for a thorough investigation into the crime.

“I condemn the killing of the five Congolese aid workers and two other civilians who were with them,” the Director-General said. “As the head of the United Nations agency in charge of education, I mourn the death of five people committed to bringing education to such a difficult environment. I call on the government to investigate this crime and take the strongest possible measures to protect the people and those working to bring them services to which they are entitled,” Irina Bokova concluded.

The UN's Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said it was the deadliest attack on aid workers ever recorded in the country.

According to OCHA close to 25 incidents involving aid workers have been recorded since August in Nord-Kivu province and some 15 in neighbouring Sud-Kivu. Close to 140 such incidents have been counted overall this year.